Mop



.7 J y 1941- J.. I-j, JOHNSON I 2,247,883

MOP I Filed Oct. 6, 1959 A Z TORNEY Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATESPATENT OJ-F-FI CE MoP M James Johnson, Kansas :City, Mo. ApplicationOctober 6, 1939; S erial'No. 298,246

1 4 "Claims.

This invention relates to mops andparticularly to a hood for a mopfixture of the .type

disclosed in my copending application on Mop, Serial No. 266,956, filedApril 10, 1939.

The principal object of the presentinvention is to provide a mop hoodwith a shield extending along the forward edge ofthe opening throughwhich the mop fixture is inserted, thereby preplane of the side bars sothatthere are no projectingparts on the under side of'the frame. Theside bar portions of the frame have insets substantially midway betweenthe toe and heel venting projecting parts of the fixture from marringfurniture and other articles with which the mop may contact. 1

Other objects of the invention are-tofprovide a mop with a shield thatisof simple,. inexpensive construction; to provide a shield that isselfsupporting thereby avoiding necessity. of fasteners; to provide amop hoodofimproved appearance; and to provide a mop hood with a shieldthat does not restrict or ,interfereswithhinging action of the handleand which facilitates application of the mop hoodto theframe.

In accomplishing these and other. objects of the invention, hereinafterpointedout, I .have provided improved details ofstructure, the-preferredform of which is illustrated inithe accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view. of .a .mp equipped with a hood embodyingthe features of the, present invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mop.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal .sectionalviewvwith-the handle shown inelevation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspectivesection of a portion of the mop hoodillustrating a. slightly modified form of shield construction wherein areinforcing element is inserted between the plies.

Referring more in detail to the drawing: l designates a mop including afixture 2 of the type illustrated in the above mentioned ap-- plication,for mounting a hood 3 forming the principal subject matter of thepresent invention.

As disclosed in my copending application, the mop fixture includes awire-like frame that is formed by bending a relatively stiff butresilient wire at a point intermediate its endsto provide a rounded toe4 and laterally diverging slide bars 5 and 6 which are bent at the heel1 on substantially semicircular curves 8 and 9, terminating in barportions in and II substantially parallel with the side bars 5 and 6.The end of the bar portion ll carries an eye I2 hingedly engaging apintle l3, formed on the terminal of the other bar portion In, toprovide a hinged joint located on the longitudinal axis of the frame andnear the median point between the heel and toe. The hinge connection isoffset upwardly above the portions, as at M and I5, and the insets areing from the mop end and terminating ininwardly extending trunnions .24and that pro- 7 ject through: the openings-in the loops [6 and l1 fromthe cam sides thereof. The arms of the yoke'are provided with ofisets 26so that the portions thereof engaging the cam-like outer faces land l9are substantially. parallel. The handle also includes aferrulei'I-forretaining the yoke, and a resilientpad .28 which projects sufiic-ientlyabove the arms of the yoke to form a bumper.

Withthe handle connected .to the framegthe cam-like facesofthe loopsIB-and l1, together with. the spring .action of the frame,-tend toretainithe'frame substantially parallel with thehandle-butI'theihandleis readily shiftedwhen the mop is placed on'thefloor.

. Thehood 3 includes apocket. conformingin eneral shape to the frame,and comprises super- 30 imposed e fabrics 30 and .31 stitched togetheralong the edges as atl:32.to closethe sides'of the edge -extendingItransverselyof the mop in front of the'loops l6'and l1, and arcuate'side edges 35 and 36 converging toward the heel of the mop. Thejuncture of the edges 35 and 36 with the edge 34 is on rounded curves 31and 38 which curves extend about the loops l6 and IT. The edges of theopening are preferably finished by hemming under the raw edges of thematerial as shown at 39 and securing the hem by lines of stitching 40and 4 I.

When the mop hood is applied to the frame in the manner disclosed in mycopending application, the loop portions l6 and I], the eye and pintlel2 and I3 and arms of the handle yoke project through the opening andabove the surface of the fabric 30. Objections may be had to theseprojecting parts for the reason that they may mar objects which the mopmay contact during the use thereof. To overcome this objection and atthe same time facilitate application of the hood and improve theappearance of the mop, I have provided the mop hood with a shield 42adapted to keep the hinge elements and handle yoke from direct contactwith objects during use of the mop.

As pointed out in my copending application, the mop has been constructedto facilitate mounting of the hood on the frame and effect its retentionwithout the use of fastening devices, and in keeping with thisconstruction the shield in the present invention is constructed to avoidnecessity of fastening devices to keep it in shielding positionrelatively to the projecting parts of the frame. The shield 42 istherefore of relatively heavy fabric, similarly to the fabric of the mophead, and preferably comprises a single piece folded upon itself to givea plurality of plies and provide a finished edge formed by the fold. Theplies forming the shield have their side edges 43 and 44 turned inwardlyand secured together by lines of stitching 45. The width of the shieldsubstantially conforms to the width of the opening at the point of theloops l6 and I1, and when the edges 46 and 41 of the plies are stitchedin underlapping relation with the forward edge of the opening, therounded portions 31 and 38 extend across the face of the shield.Therefore when the shield is moved upwardly under the opening, thecurved edges impart curvature to the shield and the corners 48 and 49closely hug the yoke arms as clearly shown in Fig. 1. While separatelines of stitching may be used in attaching the shield, I prefer toaffix the shield with the same lines of stitching forming the hemmedfront edge 34. This imparted curvature also enhances the rigidity of theshield and counteracts any tendency that the shield might have to droopin a forward direction. The inturned edges 43 and 44 also stiffen theshield so that it is self-supporting when engaged by the handle yoke andno fastening devices such as buttons, ties and the like are required inretaining the shield in position. The shield projecting above theforward edge of the opening also forms a guide to facilitate insertionof the toe portion of the frame when the frame is to be inserted in thepocket of the hood. The shield also reinforces the hood transversely ofthe mop so that the hood better withstands the strains imparted by thespring action of the frame.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the invention wherein a reinforcingelement 50 is inserted between the plies such as a strip of Celluloid orsimilar material of pliable nature.

It is thus obvious that I have provided an improved mop hood which isespecially adapted for use in conjunction with the mop frame disclosed.

in my copending application and that any objection which may be had toprojecting parts of the frame is offset by the shield.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mop hood including a pocket member provided with an opening havinga transverse front edge, a shield comprising a fabric strip folded uponitself to provide double plies, and means securing the edges of saidplies lying opposite the fold to said transverse front edge, said plieshaving the ends thereof terminating at corresponding sides of saidopening and turned under and secured together by lines of stitching toprovide reinforcements for the ends of the shield whereby said ends formsupports to retain the shield in an angular position across the opening.

2. A mop hood including a pocket member provided with an opening havinga transverse edge joining on curves with side edges thereof, a flexibleshield comprising a fabric strip folded upon itself with ends thereofextending inwardly and connected by stitching, and means securing theedges of the shield opposite the fold to the transverse edge of saidopening with said curved portions extending across portions of the endsof the shield whereby a curvature is imparted in said shield throughcontact of said ends with the curved portions of the opening when theshield is raised from said opening, said ends of the shield terminatingat said curves and having edges thereof turned inwardly and stitchedtogether to form relatively stiff supporting portions at the points ofthe curves.

3. A mop hood including a pocket member provided with an opening havinga transverse front edge, a shield comprising a fabric strip folded uponitself to provide double plies, means securing the edges of said plieslying opposite the fold to said transverse front edge, and areinforcement member contained between said plies to prevent drooping ofthe shield.

4. A mop hood including a pocket member provided with an opening havinga transverse front edge, a shield comprising a fabric strip folded uponitself to provide double plies, means securing the edges of said pliesto the under side of said transverse edge, said plies having the endsthereof turned under and secured together by lines of stitching toprovide reinforcements for the ends of the shield, and a flexiblereinforcement under said folded edge and contained between said plies toprevent drooping of the shield.

JAMES H. JOHNSON.

